Republican Senator Trent Lott says right-wing
talk radio has defined the debate on immigration and may be able to kill the
fragile compromise supported by President Bush. Also, Britain's Tony
Blair heads for the Middle East on behalf of the Quartet, and Gordon Brown takes over as Prime Minister.

FROM THIS EPISODE

Republican Senator Trent Lott says right-wing
talk radio has defined the debate on immigration and may be able to kill the
fragile compromise supported by President Bush. How have conservatives come to
dominate talk radio? Are they the voice of democracy or its undoing? Also, Tony
Blair becomes the Quartet's special Middle East envoy and, on Reporter's
Notebook, Gordon Brown takes over as Prime Minister of Britain. What will that
mean for the Grand Alliance?

Hours after he stood down as Prime Minister, came the long-expected announcement that Tony Blair will be Middle East envoy for the co-called Quartet, the US, Russia, UN and European Union. Addressing his goals today in the House of Commons, he stressed the absolute need for a two-state solution, comprised of a secure Israel and a viable Palestinian government and institutions. Bronwen Maddox is chief foreign commentator at the Times of London.

Tony Blair is now Middle East Envoy for the Quartet of the US, Russia, the UN and the European Union. Britain's new prime minister is his long-time understudy. During the ten years of Blair's Labour Party government, Gordon Brown has been Chancellor of the United Kingdom, but he's never disguised his ambition to become the top dog. Today, he got the job without an election--the first time that's happened in 17 years. Michael White is associate editor of the Guardian newspaper and a commentator on the BBC.

The immigration bill now in the Senate would beef up border security, create a guest-worker program and create new rules for newcomers, but a new poll shows that 65% of Americans think it's all about "amnesty" for 12 million undocumented workers. The legislation is supported by President Bush and a fragile coalition of Democrats and Republicans who are feeling the heat of grassroots campaigning by the conservative right wing. Both Republican Senators from Georgia started out as co-sponsors, but backed off after an onslaught of phone calls, e-mails, faxes and letters sparked, in part, by conservative talk radio. How influential are these and how did get that way? When did they break ranks with President Bush?